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Monday, 30 November 2015

Russian Agency Not Being Disbanded

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency will not be disbanded despite the scandal surrounding the systematic doping of Russian athletes, the country’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, said on Monday.

Rusada was heavily criticised in the independent commission report put together by Dick Pound on behalf of World Anti-Doping Agency earlier this month and was suspended after being declared “non-compliant with immediate effect” at a Wada meeting in Colorado.

The scandal has led to all Russian athletes being banned indefinitely by IAAF, a decision Russia decided last week to accept alongside the promise to cooperate with inspectors who will oversee changes to its drug-testing system. However, Mutko has insisted that it’s own testing authority will not be shut down.

“No doubt, Rusada will remain as an organisation,” he is quoted as saying by the Russian news agency, Tass. “We have started working [jointly with Wada].”

Saturday, 28 November 2015

Chebet Among Seven Kenyans Suspended

Two-time world cross country champion Emily Chebet is among seven athletes who have been suspended by Athletics Kenya for failing drugs tests.

The 2010 and 2013 gold medallist was given a four-year ban after testing positive for the diuretic furosemide.

The Professional Athletes Association of Kenya (PAAK) has called for more help to help tackle the problem.

"Doping has not been accorded the seriousness it deserves by authorities in Kenya," a PAAK statement said.

The national governing body also banned 400m runner Joyce Zakary and 400m hurdler Koki Manunga, who tested positive for furosemide at the World Championships in Beijing in August, for four years.

There were also two-year doping bans for Agnes Jepkosgei, Bernard Mwendia, Judy Jesire Kimuge and Lilian Moraa Marita.

A total of 43 Kenyan athletes have now been banned for doping and all but three of them have tested positive in the last three years, including Rita Jeptoo, winner of the Boston and Chicago marathons.

The World Anti-Doping Agency recently announced that Kenya has been ordered to explain its doping controls.

Friday, 5 June 2015

Jerry Collins 1980 - 2015

Former New Zealand rugby international Jerry Collins was killed Friday along with his wife when a bus crashed into their car in southern France, local officials said.

Collins, 34, who was capped 48 times for the All Blacks, was near the town of Beziers when his car came to an unexplained stop on the A9 highway, before being hit by the bus.

The couple were travelling with their two-month-old daughter, who survived the accident but is in a serious condition, the officials said. The driver of the bus, which was carrying Portuguese tourists, was lightly injured.

A New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said: "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been advised of a serious vehicle accident in France in which All Black rugby player Jerry Collins was killed."

Collins made his All Blacks debut against Argentina in 2001. His international career ended at just 26 when they lost to France in the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup in Cardiff.

The All Blacks official website describes the flanker as one of New Zealand's most feared enforcers.

"Collins was one of the toughest and most uncompromising forwards to ever play for the All Blacks and his ferocious tackling and intimidating presence made him feared by every opponent," it said.

Collins' death prompted tributes from former teammates and opponents, as well as current players, on social media.